tifosi77 wrote:I love how completely disjointed Izzard is on stage. It's literally like stream-of-consciousness, as if he's saying everything off the cuff. But it most assuredly isn't; about five years ago I got to see him perform at the Coronet Theater in L.A., which only seats about 75 people. He was testing material that has been the core of his act ever since. So I got to see "Jazz Chicken" when he was still using the Chuck Mangione song (which technically wasn't legal, and is why he now improvises a melody during the bit). (None of that will make any sense to anyone who hasn't seen his more recent stuff.)

I've seen him at the Coronet, Dolby nee Kodak Theater, the Nokia Theater and the Hollywood Bowl (where he was the first stand up comedian to headline in the venue's history, and the crowd was treated to him running up to the top of the bowl and a festival of fanimation set to Izzard's material.... the finale of course being "Death Star Canteen a la Lego".)

We saw him live at the Improv up in West Hollywood about three or four months before he died. New year's eve show. Took him about ten minutes to find his groove, but once he started rolling it was fantastic.

He opened with "Man, look at you all, got your dinner and your drinks. It's like you all chased me in here and just said, "f it, let's eat". Then he pointed to the big Improv sign on the wall behind him and said, "The last time I was here, they put an 'e' on the end."

We saw him live at the Improv up in West Hollywood about three or four months before he died. New year's eve show. Took him about ten minutes to find his groove, but once he started rolling it was fantastic.

He opened with "Man, look at you all, got your dinner and your drinks. It's like you all chased me in here and just said, "f it, let's eat". Then he pointed to the big Improv sign on the wall behind him and said, "The last time I was here, they put an 'e' on the end."

Saw a Scottish comedian named Danny Bhoy a couple years ago, he was pretty good. At the Comedy And Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, where - nearly every Sunday - Jay Leno still goes and does 10-15 minutes of practice material.

At that same venue I've also seen Larry Miller - who was excellent - and Kathleen Madigan - who was also pretty awesome. Madigan in particular gives the vibe that she doesn't have a 'stage presence' or anything; that's just how she is all the time.